HisS from Chlamydia trachomatis

ABSTRACT

The invention provides hisS polynucleotides which encode hisS polypeptide, polynucleotides related thereto, and methods for producing such polypeptides by recombinant techniques. Also provided are methods for utilizing the hisS polynucleotides and polypeptides to screen for antibacterial compounds and for the detection of pathogens.

This Application is a divisional of U.S. Application Ser. No.08/899,028, filed Jul. 23, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,720.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to newly identified polynucleotides andpolypeptides, and their production and uses, as well as their variants,agonists and antagonists, and their uses. In particular, in these and inother regards, the invention relates to novel polynucleotides andpolypeptides of the histidyl tRNA synthetase family, hereinafterreferred to as “hisS”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Chlamydiaceae is a family of obligate intracellular parasites. Allmembers share a common developmental cycle. Chlamydia infect a widerange of vertebrate host, particularly humans.

Chlamydia trachomitis is one of the two recognized species of Chlamydia.Human infections caused by Chlamydia trachomitis are widespread. Thisspecies is one of the most common cause of sexually transmitted diseasein the world. It is also one of the main causes of infertility inhumans.

The frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis infections has risen dramaticallyin the past 20 years. This has been attributed to the emergence ofmultiply antibiotic resistant strains and an increasing population ofpeople with weakened immune systems. It is no longer uncommon to isolateChlamydia trachomatis strains which are resistant to some or all of thestandard antibiotics. This has created a demand for both newanti-microbial agents and diagnostic tests for this organism.

The t-RNA synthetases have a primary role in protein synthesis accordingto the following scheme:

Enzyme+ATP+AA Enzyme.AA-AMP+PPi

Enzyme.AA-AMP+t-RNA Enzyme+AMP+AA-t-RNA in which AA is an amino acid.

Inhibition of this process leads to a reduction in the levels of chargedt-RNA and this triggers a cascade of responses known as the stringentresponse, the result of which is the induction of a state of dormancy inthe organism. As such selective inhibitors of bacterial t-RNA synthetasehave potential as antibacterial agents. One example of such is mupirocinwhich is a selective inhibitor of isoleucyl t-RNA synthetase. Othert-RNA synthetases are now being examined as possible anti-bacterialtargets, this process being greatly assisted by the isolation of thesynthetase.

Clearly, there is a need for factors, such as the novel compounds of theinvention, that have a present benefit of being useful to screencompounds for antibiotic activity. Such factors are also useful todetermine their role in pathogenesis of infection, dysfunction anddisease. There is also a need for identification and characterization ofsuch factors and their antagonists and agonists which can play a role inpreventing, ameliorating or correcting infections, dysfimctions ordiseases.

The polypeptides of the invention have amino acid sequence homology to aknown Streptococcus equisimilis histidyl tRNA synthetase protein.(S.equisimilis HRS SwissProt P30053; Menguito C. A., Keherly M. J., TangC.-Y., Papaconstantinou J., Weigel P. H., Nucleic Acids Res., 21:615-620(1993).)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide polypeptides that have beenidentified as novel hisS polypeptides by homology between the amino acidsequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO: 2] and a known amino acidsequence or sequences of other proteins such as Streptococcusequisimilis histidyl tRNA synthetase protein.

It is a further object of the invention to provide polynucleotides thatencode hisS polypeptides, particularly polynucleotides that encode thepolypeptide herein designated hisS.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention thepolynucleotide comprises a region encoding hisS polypeptides comprisingthe sequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1] which includes a fulllength gene, or a variant thereof.

In another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention there is anovel hisS protein from Chlamydia trachomatis comprising the amino acidsequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2], or a variant thereof.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided anisolated nucleic acid molecule encoding a mature polypeptide expressibleby the Chlamydia trachomatis D/UW-3/Cx strain.

A further aspect of the invention there are provided isolated nucleicacid molecules encoding hisS, particularly Chlamydia trachomatis hisS,including mRNAs, cDNAs, genomic DNAs. Further embodiments of theinvention include biologically, diagnostically, prophylactically,clinically or therapeutically useful variants thereof, and compositionscomprising the same.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is providedthe use of a polynucleotide of the invention for therapeutic orprophylactic purposes, in particular genetic immunization. Among theparticularly preferred embodiments of the invention are naturallyoccurring allelic variants of hisS and polypeptides encoded thereby.

Another aspect of the invention there are provided novel polypeptides ofChlamydia trachomatis referred to herein as hisS as well asbiologically, diagnostically, prophylactically, clinically ortherapeutically useful variants thereof, and compositions comprising thesame.

Among the particularly preferred embodiments of the invention arevariants of hisS polypeptide encoded by naturally occurring alleles ofthe hisS gene.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention there are provided methodsfor producing the aforementioned hisS polypeptides.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there areprovided inhibitors to such polypeptides, useful as antibacterialagents, including, for example, antibodies.

In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of the invention, thereare provided products, compositions and methods for assessing hisSexpression, treating disease, for example, classic ocular trachoma,inclusion conjunctivitis, genital trachoma, infant pneumonitis,Lymphogranuloma Venerium, incipient trachoma, keratitis, papillaryhypertrophy, corneal infiltration, vulvovaginitis, ear infection,mucopurulent rhinitis, salpingitis, cervicitis, cervical follicles,prostatitis, proctitis, urethritis, lymphogranule inguinale, climaticbubo, tropical bubo, and esthiomene., assaying genetic variation, andadministering a hisS polypeptide or polynucleotide to an organism toraise an immunological response against a bacteria, especially aChlamydia trachomatis bacteria.

In accordance with certain preferred embodiments of this and otheraspects of the invention there are provided polynucleotides thathybridize to hisS polynucleotide sequences, particularly under stringentconditions.

In certain preferred embodiments of the invention there are providedantibodies against hisS polypeptides.

In other embodiments of the invention there are provided methods foridentifying compounds which bind to or otherwise interact with andinhibit or activate an activity of a polypeptide or polynucleotide ofthe invention comprising: contacting a polypeptide or polynucleotide ofthe invention with a compound to be screened under conditions to permitbinding to or other interaction between the compound and the polypeptideor polynucleotide to assess the binding to or other interaction with thecompound, such binding or interaction being associated with a secondcomponent capable of providing a detectable signal in response to thebinding or interaction of the polypeptide or polynucleotide with thecompound; and determining whether the compound binds to or otherwiseinteracts with and activates or inhibits an activity of the polypeptideor polynucleotide by detecting the presence or absence of a signalgenerated from the binding or interaction of the compound with thepolypeptide or polynucleotide.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, there areprovided hisS agonists and antagonists, preferably bacteriostatic orbacteriocidal agonists and antagonists.

In a further aspect of the invention there are provided compositionscomprising a hisS polynucleotide or a hisS polypeptide foradministration to a cell or to a multicellular organism.

Various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of thedisclosed invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in theart from reading the following descriptions and from reading the otherparts of the present disclosure.

GLOSSARY

The following definitions are provided to facilitate understanding ofcertain terms used frequently herein.

“Host cell” is a cell which has been transformed or transfected, or iscapable of transformation or transfection by an exogenous polynucleotidesequence.

“Identity,” as known in the art, is a relationship between two or morepolypeptide sequences or two or more polynucleotide sequences, asdetermined by comparing the sequences. In the art, “identity” also meansthe degree of sequence relatedness between polypeptide or polynucleotidesequences, as the case may be, as determined by the match betweenstrings of such sequences. “Identity” and “similarity” can be readilycalculated by known methods, including but not limited to thosedescribed in (Computational Molecular Biology, Lesk, A. M., ed., OxfordUniversity Press, New York, 1988; Biocomputing: Informatics and GenomeProjects, Smith, D. W., ed., Academic Press, New York, 1993; ComputerAnalysis of Sequence Data, Part I, Griffin, A. M., and Griffin, H. G.,eds., Humana Press, New Jersey, 1994; Sequence Analysis in MolecularBiology, von Heinje, G., Academic Press, 1987; and Sequence AnalysisPrimer, Gribskov, M. and Devereux, J., eds., M Stockton Press, New York,1991; and Carillo, H., and Lipman, D., SIAM J. Applied Math., 48: 1073(1988). Preferred methods to determine identity are designed to give thelargest match between the sequences tested. Methods to determineidentity and similarity are codified in publicly available computerprograms. Preferred computer program methods to determine identity andsimilarity between two sequences include, but are not limited to, theGCG program package (Devereux, J., et al., Nucleic Acids Research 12(1):387 (1984)), BLASTP, BLASTN, and FASTA (Atschul, S. F. et al., J. Molec.Biol. 215: 403-410 (1990). The BLAST X program is publicly availablefrom NCBI and other sources (BLAST Manual, Altschul, S., et al., NCBINLM NIH Bethesda, MD 20894; Altschul, S., et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410 (1990). As an illustration, by a polynucleotide having anucleotide sequence having at least, for example, 95% “identity” to areference nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1 it is intended that thenucleotide sequence of the polynucleotide is identical to the referencesequence except that the polynucleotide sequence may include up to fivepoint mutations per each 100 nucleotides of the reference nucleotidesequence of SEQ ID NO:1. In other words, to obtain a polynucleotidehaving a nucleotide sequence at least 95% identical to a referencenucleotide sequence, up to 5% of the nucleotides in the referencesequence may be deleted or substituted with another nucleotide, or anumber of nucleotides up to 5% of the total nucleotides in the referencesequence may be inserted into the reference sequence. These mutations ofthe reference sequence may occur at the 5 or 3 terminal positions of thereference nucleotide sequence or anywhere between those terminalpositions, interspersed either individually among nucleotides in thereference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within thereference sequence. Analogously , by a polypeptide having an amino acidsequence having at least, for example, 95% identity to a reference aminoacid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2 is intended that the amino acid sequence ofthe polypeptide is identical to the reference sequence except that thepolypeptide sequence may include up to five amino acid alterations pereach 100 amino acids of the reference amino acid of SEQ ID NO:2. Inother words, to obtain a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence atleast 95% identical to a reference amino acid sequence, up to 5% of theamino acid residues in the reference sequence may be deleted orsubstituted with another amino acid, or a number of amino acids up to 5%of the total amino acid residues in the reference sequence may beinserted into the reference sequence. These alterations of the referencesequence may occur at the amino or carboxy terminal positions of thereference amino acid sequence or anywhere between those terminalpositions, interspersed either individually among residues in thereference sequence or in one or more contiguous groups within thereference sequence.

“Isolated” means altered “by the hand of man” from its natural state,i.e., if it occurs in nature, it has been changed or removed from itsoriginal environment, or both. For example, a polynucleotide or apolypeptide naturally present in a living organism is not “isolated,”but the same polynucleotide or polypeptide separated from the coexistingmaterials of its natural state is “isolated”, as the term is employedherein.

“Polynucleotide(s)” generally refers to any polyribonucleotide orpolydeoxribonucleotide, which may be unmodified RNA or DNA or modifiedRNA or DNA. “Polynucleotide(s)” include, without limitation, single- anddouble-stranded DNA, DNA that is a mixture of single- anddouble-stranded regions or single-, double- and triple-stranded regions,single- and double-stranded RNA, and RNA that is mixture of single- anddouble-stranded regions, hybrid molecules comprising DNA and RNA thatmay be single-stranded or, more typically, double-stranded, ortriple-stranded regions, or a mixture of single- and double-strandedregions. In addition,

“polynucleotide” as used herein refers to triple-stranded regionscomprising RNA or DNA or both RNA and DNA. The strands in such regionsmay be from the same molecule or from different molecules. The regionsmay include all of one or more of the molecules, but more typicallyinvolve only a region of some of the molecules. One of the molecules ofa triple-helical region often is an oligonucleotide. As used herein, theterm “polynucleotide(s)” also includes DNAs or RNAs as described abovethat contain one or more modified bases. Thus, DNAs or RNAs withbackbones modified for stability or for other reasons are“polynucleotide(s)” as that term is intended herein. Moreover, DNAs orRNAs comprising unusual bases, such as inosine, or modified bases, suchas tritylated bases, to name just two examples, are polynucleotides asthe term is used herein. It will be appreciated that a great variety ofmodifications have been made to DNA and RNA that serve many usefulpurposes known to those of skill in the art. The term“polynucleotide(s)” as it is employed herein embraces such chemically,enzymatically or metabolically modified forms of polynucleotides, aswell as the chemical forms of DNA and RNA characteristic of viruses andcells, including, for example, simple and complex cells.“Polynucleotide(s)” also embraces short polynucleotides often referredto as oligonucleotide(s).

“Polypeptide(s)” refers to any peptide or protein comprising two or moreamino acids joined to each other by peptide bonds or modified peptidebonds. “Polypeptide(s)” refers to both short chains, commonly referredto as peptides, oligopeptides and oligomers and to longer chainsgenerally referred to as proteins. Polypeptides may contain amino acidsother than the 20 gene encoded amino acids. “Polypeptide(s)” includethose modified either by natural processes, such as processing and otherpost-translational modifications, but also by chemical modificationtechniques. Such modifications are well described in basic texts and inmore detailed monographs, as well as in a voluminous researchliterature, and they are well known to those of skill in the art. Itwill be appreciated that the same type of modification may be present inthe same or varying degree at several sites in a given polypeptide.Also, a given polypeptide may contain many types of modifications.Modifications can occur anywhere in a polypeptide, including the peptidebackbone, the amino acid side-chains, and the amino or carboxyl termini.Modifications include, for example, acetylation, acylation,ADP-ribosylation, amidation, covalent attachment of flavin, covalentattachment of a heme moiety, covalent attachment of a nucleotide ornucleotide derivative, covalent attachment of a lipid or lipidderivative, covalent attachment of phosphotidylinositol, cross-linking,cyclization, disulfide bond formation, demethylation, formation ofcovalent cross-links, formation of cysteine, formation of pyroglutamate,formylation, gamma-carboxylation, glycosylation, GPI anchor formation,hydroxylation, iodination, methylation, myristoylation, oxidation,proteolytic processing, phosphorylation, prenylation, racemization,glycosylation, lipid attachment, sulfation, gamma-carboxylation ofglutamic acid residues, hydroxylation and ADP-ribosylation,selenoylation, sulfation, transfer-RNA mediated addition of amino acidsto proteins, such as arginylation, and ubiquilination. See, forinstance, PROTEINS—STRUCTURE AND MOLECULAR PROPERTIES, 2nd Ed., T. E.Creighton, W. H. Freeman and Company, New York (1993) and Wold, F.,Posttranslational Protein Modifications: Perspectives and Prospects,pgs. 1-12 in POSTTRANSLATIONAL COVALENT MODIFICATION OF PROTEINS, B. C.Johnson, Ed., Academic Press, New York (1983); Seifter et al., Meth.Enzymol. 182:626-646 (1990) and Rattan et al., Protein Synthesis:Posttranslational Modifications and Aging, Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 663:48-62 (1992). Polypeptides may be branched or cyclic, with or withoutbranching. Cyclic, branched and branched circular polypeptides mayresult from post-translational natural processes and may be made byentirely synthetic methods, as well.

“Variant(s)” as the term is used herein, is a polynucleotide orpolypeptide that differs from a reference polynucleotide or polypeptiderespectively, but retains essential properties. A typical variant of apolynucleotide differs in nucleotide sequence from another, referencepolynucleotide. Changes in the nucleotide sequence of the variant may ormay not alter the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide encoded by thereference polynucleotide. Nucleotide changes may result in amino acidsubstitutions, additions, deletions, fusions and truncations in thepolypeptide encoded by the reference sequence, as discussed below. Atypical variant of a polypeptide differs in amino acid sequence fromanother, reference polypeptide. Generally, differences are limited sothat the sequences of the reference polypeptide and the variant areclosely similar overall and, in many regions, identical. A variant andreference polypeptide may differ in amino acid sequence by one or moresubstitutions, additions, deletions in any combination. A substituted orinserted amino acid residue may or may not be one encoded by the geneticcode. A variant of a polynucleotide or polypeptide may be a naturallyoccurring such as an allelic variant, or it may be a variant that is notknown to occur naturally. Non-naturally occurring variants ofpolynucleotides and polypeptides may be made by mutagenesis techniques,by direct synthesis, and by other recombinant methods known to skilledartisans.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to novel hisS polypeptides and polynucleotides asdescribed in greater detail below. In particular, the invention relatesto polypeptides and polynucleotides of a novel hisS of Chlamydiatrachomatis , which is related by amino acid sequence homology toStreptococcus equisimilis histidyl tRNA synthetase polypeptide. Theinvention relates especially to hisS having the nucleotide and aminoacid sequences set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1] and Table 1 [SEQ IDNO:2] respectively, and to the hisS nucleotide sequences of the DNA inthe strain and amino acid sequences encoded thereby.

TABLE 1 hisS Polynucleotide and Polypeptide Sequences • (A) Sequencesfrom Chlamydia trachomatis hisS polynucleotide sequence [SEQ ID NO:1].5′-1 GTGAGAATAG TCCGGTTATA CACAATGAGT AATGCATTGC CAAAAGGCGT 51TTTTGATATT TTTCCCTATG TAACAAGCCC AAAAAATCTT TGGAGAAATT 101 CTTCTCTATGGAAACGTGTT GAGCATGCAG CCCATCGTAT TTGTAATTTA 151 TATGGATTTG ATGAGATCCGAACTCCAGTT TTTGAAAAGA CAGAGACTTT 201 TTTACGCGTC GGAGAGTACA GTGATATTGTAAAAAAGGAA GTTTATACCT 251 TCTTAGATAA AAAAAGACGT TCTTTGACTT TGCGTCCAGAAGGGACTGCA 301 GCAGTTGTTC GTGCATTGTT GGATCATTCT GCTGATATGC GCAAAGATAA351 TAAGTTTTAT TATATTTTGC CCATGTTTCG TTACGAGCGG CAACAATCTG 401GACGTTACCG TCAGCATCAT CAGTTCGGTC TAGAAGCTAT CGGTGTGCGG 451 CACCCCTTACGAGATGCGGA GGTGCTCTCT CTGTTATGGG ATTTTTATGC 501 AGCGGTCGGG CTTCAGCATATGCAAATCCA TGTGAATTTT TTAGGAGGGC 551 AAAAGACTCG GGCTCGTTAT GACGAAGCTTTGCGGGAGTT CTTCCGTAAG 601 GATCTAGACC GGTTATCGCC TCTGAGTCAA GAAAGATATCATGCGAACTT 651 ATTGCGTATA TTAGATTCTA AGGAGCCAGA AGACCAGGAA TTCATTGAAA701 AAGCTCCCTC AATTTTGGAT TACATAGATG ATCGGGATTT AAGCTATTTT 751GATGCAGTAT TAGCCCAATT AAAGGCTTTA GGGATTTCTT TTGCAATCAA 801 TCCAAGGCTAGTTCGAGGGT TGGATTATTA TACGGATCTT GTATTTGAAG 851 CGGTGACTGT TGTGGGAGAGCACTCCTATG CATTGGGAGG CGGCGGGCGT 901 TATGATGAAT TGGTTGCGCA GTCTGGAGGCCCTTCTATGC CAGCTTTTGG 951 TTTTGGAGTG GGATTGGAAA GAGTAATCCA AACGCTATTAGAGCAAGGAA 1001 ACTCTTTATC GACCTCTACG CGACGGTTGC GATTAATTCC TATGGATGAG1051 CAGGCAGATG CATTTTGTTT TTCATGGGCA AATCGTTTAC GTAACCTAGG 1101CATTGCAACA GAAGTAGATT GGAGCCATAA GAAGCCTAAA TTGTCTCTTA 1151 AAGATGCTGCCGATCAACAA GTCAGTTTTG TTTGTCTCTT AGGCGAACAA 1201 GAATTAGCAA CGAAACAATTTATAGTTAAA GATATGTCTT TGCATCAAAG 1251 CTTCTCAGGG GCTCAACAAG ATGTAGAACAAAGGTTGGTT TATGAAGTAC 1301 AGAACGCATAA-3′                                        (B) hisS polypeptidesequence deduced from the polynucleotide sequence in this table [SEQ IDNO:2]. NH₂-1 MRIVRLYTMS NALPKGVFDI FPYVTSPKNL WRNSSLWKRV EHAAHRICNL 51YGFDEIRTPV FEKTETFLRV GEYSDIVKKE VYTFLDKKRR SLTLRPEGTA 101 AVVRALLDHSADMRKDNKFY YILPMFRYER QQSGRYRQHH QFGLEAIGVR 151 HPLRDAEVLS LLWDFYAAVGLQHMQIHVNF LGGQKTRARY DEALREFFRK 201 DLDRLSPLSQ ERYHANLLRI LDSKEPEDQEFIEKAPSILD YIDDRDLSYF 251 DAVLAQLKAL GISFAINPRL VRGLDYYTDL VFEAVTVVGEHSYALGGGGR 301 YDELVAQSGG PSMPAFGFGV GLERVIQTLL EQGNSLSTST RRLRLIPMDE351 QADAFCFSWA NRLRNLGIAT EVDWSHKKPK LSLKDAADQQ VSFVCLLGEQ 401ELATKQFIVK DMSLHQSFSG AQQDVEQRLV YEVQNA*-COOH          (C)Polynucleotide sequence embodiments [SEQ ID NO:1]. X-(R₁)_(n)-1GTGAGAATAG TCCGGTTATA CACAATGAGT AATGCATTGC CAAAAGGCGT 51 TTTTGATATTTTTCCCTATG TAACAAGCCC AAAAAATCTT TGGAGAAATT 101 CTTCTCTATG GAAACGTGTTGAGCATGCAG CCCATCGTAT TTGTAATTTA 151 TATGGATTTG ATGAGATCCG AACTCCAGTTTTTGAAAAGA CAGAGACTTT 201 TTTACGCGTC GGAGAGTACA GTGATATTGT AAAAAAGGAAGTTTATACCT 251 TCTTAGATAA AAAAAGACGT TCTTTGACTT TGCGTCCAGA AGGGACTGCA301 GCAGTTGTTC GTGCATTGTT GGATCATTCT GCTGATATGC GCAAAGATAA 351TAAGTTTTAT TATATTTTGC CCATGTTTCG TTACGAGCGG CAACAATCTG 401 GACGTTACCGTCAGCATCAT CAGTTCGGTC TAGAAGCTAT CGGTGTGCGG 451 CACCCCTTAC GAGATGCGGAGGTGCTCTCT CTGTTATGGG ATTTTTATGC 501 AGCGGTCGGG CTTCAGCATA TGCAAATCCATGTGAATTTT TTAGGAGGGC 551 AAAAGACTCG GGCTCGTTAT GACGAAGCTT TGCGGGAGTTCTTCCGTAAG 601 GATCTAGACC GGTTATCGCC TCTGAGTCAA GAAAGATATC ATGCGAACTT651 ATTGCGTATA TTAGATTCTA AGGAGCCAGA AGACCAGGAA TTCATTGAAA 701AAGCTCCCTC AATTTTGGAT TACATAGATG ATCGGGATTT AAGCTATTTT 751 GATGCAGTATTAGCCCAATT AAAGGCTTTA GGGATTTCTT TTGCAATCAA 801 TCCAAGGCTA GTTCGAGGGTTGGATTATTA TACGGATCTT GTATTTGAAG 851 CGGTGACTGT TGTGGGAGAG CACTCCTATGCATTGGGAGG CGGCGGGCGT 901 TATGATGAAT TGGTTGCGCA GTCTGGAGGC CCTTCTATGCCAGCTTTTGG 951 TTTTGGAGTG GGATTGGAAA GAGTAATCCA AACGCTATTA GAGCAAGGAA1001 ACTCTTTATC GACCTCTACG CGACGGTTGC GATTAATTCC TATGGATGAG 1051CAGGCAGATG CATTTTGTTT TTCATGGGCA AATCGTTTAC GTAACCTAGG 1101 CATTGCAACAGAAGTAGATT GGAGCCATAA GAAGCCTAAA TTGTCTCTTA 1151 AAGATGCTGC CGATCAACAAGTCAGTTTTG TTTGTCTCTT AGGCGAACAA 1201 GAATTAGCAA CGAAACAATT TATAGTTAAAGATATGTCTT TGCATCAAAG 1251 CTTCTCAGGG GCTCAACAAG ATGTAGAACA AAGGTTGGTTTATGAAGTAC 1301 AGAACGCATA A-(R₂)_(n)-Y                                     (D) Polypeptide sequence embodiments [SEQ ID NO:2]. X-(R₁)_(n)-1MRIVRLYTMS NALPKGVFDI FPYVTSPKNL WRNSSLWKRV EHAAHRICNL 51 YGFDEIRTPVFEKTETFLRV GEYSDIVKKE VYTFLDKKRR SLTLRPEGTA 101 AVVRALLDHS ADMRKDNKFYYILPMFRYER QQSGRYRQHH QFGLEAIGVR 151 HPLRDAEVLS LLWDFYAAVG LQHMQIHVNFLGGQKTRARY DEALREFFRK 201 DLDRLSPLSQ ERYHANLLRI LDSKEPEDQE FIEKAPSILDYIDDRDLSYF 251 DAVLAQLKAL GISFAINPRL VRGLDYYTDL VFEAVTTVGE HSYALGGGGR301 YDELVAQSGG PSMPAFGFGV GLERVIQTLL EQGNSLSTST RRLRLIPMDE 351QADAFCFSWA NRLRNLGIAT EVDWSHKKPK LSLKDAADQQ VSFVCLLGEQ 401 ELATKQFIVKDMSLHQSFSG AQQDVEQRLV YEVQNA*-(R₂)_(n)-Y      

Polypeptides

The polypeptides of the invention include the polypeptide of Table 1[SEQ ID NO:2] (in particular the mature polypeptide) as well aspolypeptides and fragments, particularly those which have the biologicalactivity of hisS, and also those which have at least 70% identity to thepolypeptide of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] or the relevant portion, preferablyat least 80% identity to the polypeptide of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2], andmore preferably at least 90% similarity (more preferably at least 90%identity) to the polypeptide of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] and still morepreferably at least 95% similarity (still more preferably at least 95%identity) to the polypeptide of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] and also includeportions of such polypeptides with such portion of the polypeptidegenerally containing at least 30 amino acids and more preferably atleast 50 amino acids.

The invention also includes polypeptides of the formula set forth inTable 1 (D) wherein, at the amino terminus, X is hydrogen, and at thecarboxyl terminus, Y is hydrogen or a metal, R₁ and R₂ is any amino acidresidue, and n is an integer between 1 and 1000. Any stretch of aminoacid residues denoted by either R group, where R is greater than 1, maybe either a heteropolymer or a homopolymer, preferably a heteropolymer.

A fragment is a variant polypeptide having an amino acid sequence thatentirely is the same as part but not all of the amino acid sequence ofthe aforementioned polypeptides. As with hisS polypeptides fragments maybe “free-standing,” or comprised within a larger polypeptide of whichthey form a part or region, most preferably as a single continuousregion, a single larger polypeptide.

Preferred fragments include, for example, truncation polypeptides havinga portion of the amino acid sequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2], or ofvariants thereof, such as a continuous series of residues that includesthe amino terminus, or a continuous series of residues that includes thecarboxyl terminus. Degradation forms of the polypeptides of theinvention in a host cell, particularly a Chlamydia trachomatis , arealso preferred. Further preferred are fragments characterized bystructural or finctional attributes such as fragments that comprisealpha-helix and alpha-helix forming regions, beta-sheet andbeta-sheet-forming regions, turn and turn-forming regions, coil andcoil-forming regions, hydrophilic regions, hydrophobic regions, alphaamphipathic regions, beta amphipathic regions, flexible regions,surface-forming regions, substrate binding region, and high antigenicindex regions.

Also preferred are biologically active fragments which are thosefragments that mediate activities of hisS, including those with asimilar activity or an improved activity, or with a decreasedundesirable activity. Also included are those fragments that areantigenic or immunogenic in an animal, especially in a human.Particularly preferred are fragments comprising receptors or domains ofenzymes that confer a function essential for viability of Chlamydiatrachomatis or the ability to initiate, or maintain cause disease in anindividual, particularly a human.

Variants that are fragments of the polypeptides of the invention may beemployed for producing the corresponding full-length polypeptide bypeptide synthesis; therefore, these variants may be employed asintermediates for producing the full-length polypeptides of theinvention.

Polynucleotides

Another aspect of the invention relates to isolated polynucleotides,including the full length gene, that encode the hisS polypeptide havingthe deduced amino acid sequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] andpolynucleotides closely related thereto and variants thereof.

Using the information provided herein, such as the polynucleotidesequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1], a polynucleotide of theinvention encoding hisS polypeptide may be obtained using standardcloning and screening methods, such as those for cloning and sequencingchromosomal DNA fragments from bacteria using Chlamydia trachomatisD/UW-3/Cx cells as starting material, followed by obtaining a fulllength clone. For example, to obtain a polynucleotide sequence of theinvention, such as the sequence given in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1],typically a library of clones of chromosomal DNA of Chlamydiatrachomatis D/UW-3/Cx in E. coli or some other suitable host is probedwith a radiolabeled oligonucleotide, preferably a 1 7-mer or longer,derived from a partial sequence. Clones carrying DNA identical to thatof the probe can then be distinguished using stringent conditions. Bysequencing the individual clones thus identified with sequencing primersdesigned from the original sequence it is then possible to extend thesequence in both directions to determine the full gene sequence.Conveniently, such sequencing is performed using denatured doublestranded DNA prepared from a plasmid clone. Suitable techniques aredescribed by Maniatis, T., Fritsch, E. F. and Sambrook et al., MOLECULARCLONING, A LABORATORY MANUAL, 2nd Ed.; Cold Spring Harbor LaboratoryPress, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989). (see in particular Screening ByHybridization 1.90 and Sequencing Denatured Double-Stranded DNATemplates 13.70). Illustrative of the invention, the polynucleotide setout in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1] was discovered in a DNA library derivedfrom Chlamydia trachomatis D/UW-3/Cx.

The DNA sequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1] contains an openreading frame encoding a protein having about the number of amino acidresidues set forth in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] with a deduced molecularweight that can be calculated using amino acid residue molecular weightvalues well known in the art. The polynucleotide of SEQ ID NO:1, betweennucleotide number 1 through number 1308 encodes the polypeptide of SEQID NO:2. The stop codon begins at nucleotide number 1309 of SEQ ID NO:1.

The hisS protein of the invention is structurally related to otherproteins of the histidyl tRNA synthetase family, as shown by the resultsof sequencing the DNA encoding hisS of the strain of the invention. Theprotein exhibits greatest homology to Streptococcus equisimilis histidyltRNA synthetase protein among known proteins. The hisS protein of Table1 [SEQ ID NO:2] has about 40% identity over its entire length and about58% similarity over its entire length with the amino acid sequence ofStreptococcus equisimilis histidyl tRNA synthetase polypeptide.

The invention provides a polynucleotide sequence identical over itsentire length to the coding sequence in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1]. Alsoprovided by the invention is the coding sequence for the maturepolypeptide or a fragment thereof, by itself as well as the codingsequence for the mature polypeptide or a fragment in reading frame withother coding sequence, such as those encoding a leader or secretorysequence, a pre-, or pro- or prepro- protein sequence. Thepolynucleotide may also contain non-coding sequences, including forexample, but not limited to non-coding 5′ and 3′ sequences, such as thetranscribed, non-translated sequences, termination signals, ribosomebinding sites, sequences that stabilize mRNA, introns, polyadenylationsignals, and additional coding sequence which encode additional aminoacids. For example, a marker sequence that facilitates purification ofthe fused polypeptide can be encoded. In certain embodiments of theinvention, the marker sequence is a hexa-histidine peptide, as providedin the pQE vector (Qiagen, Inc.) and described in Gentz et al., Proc.Natl. Acad. Sci., USA 86: 821-824 (1989), or an HA tag (Wilson et aL,Cell 37: 767 (1984). Polynucleotides of the invention also include, butare not limited to, polynucleotides comprising a structural gene and itsnaturally associated sequences that control gene expression.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is the polynucleotide ofcomprising nucleotide 1 to 1308 set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 of Table 1which encodes the hisS polypeptide.

The invention also includes polynucleotides of the formula set forth inTable 1 (C) wherein, at the 5′end of the molecule, X is hydrogen, and atthe 3′ end of the molecule, Y is hydrogen or a metal, R₁ and R₂ is anynucleic acid residue, and n is an integer between 1 and 1000. Anystretch of nucleic acid residues denoted by either R group, where R isgreater than 1, may be either a heteropolymer or a homopolymer,preferably a heteropolymer.

The term “polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide” as used hereinencompasses polynucleotides that include a sequence encoding apolypeptide of the invention, particularly a bacterial polypeptide andmore particularly a polypeptide of the Chlamydia trachomatis hisS havingthe amino acid sequence set out in Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2]. The term alsoencompasses polynucleotides that include a single continuous region ordiscontinuous regions encoding the polypeptide (for example, interruptedby integrated phage or an insertion sequence or editing) together withadditional regions, that also may contain coding and/or non-codingsequences.

The invention further relates to variants of the polynucleotidesdescribed herein that encode for variants of the polypeptide having thededuced amino acid sequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:2]. Variants that arefragments of the polynucleotides of the invention may be used tosynthesize full-length polynucleotides of the invention.

Further particularly preferred embodiments are polynucleotides encodinghisS variants, that have the amino acid sequence of hisS polypeptide ofTable 1 [SEQ ID NO:2] in which several, a few, 5 to 10, 1 to 5, 1 to 3,2, 1 or no amino acid residues are substituted, deleted or added, in anycombination. Especially preferred among these are silent substitutions,additions and deletions, that do not alter the properties and activitiesof hisS.

Further preferred embodiments of the invention are polynucleotides thatare at least 70% identical over their entire length to a polynucleotideencoding hisS polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out inTable 1 [SEQ ID NO:2], and polynucleotides that are complementary tosuch polynucleotides. Alternatively, most highly preferred arepolynucleotides that comprise a region that is at least 80% identicalover its entire length to a polynucleotide encoding hisS polypeptide ofthe strain and polynucleotides complementary thereto. In this regard,polynucleotides at least 90% identical over their entire length to thesame are particularly preferred, and among these particularly preferredpolynucleotides, those with at least 95% are especially preferred.Furthermore, those with at least 97% are highly preferred among thosewith at least 95%, and among these those with at least 98% and at least99% are particularly highly preferred, with at least 99% being the morepreferred.

Preferred embodiments are polynucleotides that encode polypeptides thatretain substantially the same biological function or activity as themature polypeptide encoded by the DNA of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1].

The invention further relates to polynucleotides that hybridize to theherein above-described sequences. In this regard, the inventionespecially relates to polynucleotides that hybridize under stringentconditions to the herein above-described polynucleotides. As hereinused, the terms “stringent conditions” and “stringent hybridizationconditions” mean hybridization will occur only if there is at least 95%and preferably at least 97% identity between the sequences. An exampleof stringent hybridization conditions is overnight incubation at 42° C.in a solution comprising: 50% formamide, 5×SSC (105 mM NaCl, 15 mMtrisodium citrate), 50 mM sodium phosphate (pH7.6), 5×Denhardt'ssolution, 10% dextran sulfate, and 20 micrograms/ml denatured, shearedsalmon sperm DNA, followed by washing the hybridization support in0.1×SSC at about 65° C. Hybridization and wash conditions are well knownand exemplified in Sambrook, et al., Molecular Cloning: A LaboratoryManual, Second Edition, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., (1989), particularlyChapter 11 therein.

The invention also provides a polynucleotide consisting essentially of apolynucleotide sequence obtainable by screening an appropriate librarycontaining the complete gene for a polynucleotide sequence set forth inSEQ ID NO:1 under stringent hybridization conditions with a probe havingthe sequence of said polynucleotide sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 ora fragment thereof; and isolating said DNA sequence. Fragments usefulfor obtaining such a polynucleotide include, for example, probes andprimers described elsewhere herein.

As discussed additionally herein regarding polynucleotide assays of theinvention, for instance, polynucleotides of the invention as discussedabove, may be used as a hybridization probe for RNA, cDNA and genomicDNA to isolate full-length cDNAs and genomic clones encoding hisS and toisolate cDNA and genomic clones of other genes that have a high sequencesimilarity to the hisS gene. Such probes generally will comprise atleast 15 bases. Preferably, such probes will have at least 30 bases andmay have at least 50 bases. Particularly preferred probes will have atleast 30 bases and will have 50 bases or less.

For example, the coding region of the hisS gene may be isolated byscreening using the DNA sequence provided in SEQ ID NO:1 to synthesizean oligonucleotide probe. A labeled oligonucleotide having a sequencecomplementary to that of a gene of the invention is then used to screena library of cDNA, genomic DNA or mRNA to determine which members of thelibrary the probe hybridizes to.

The polynucleotides and polypeptides of the invention may be employed,for example, as research reagents and materials for discovery oftreatments of and diagnostics for disease, particularly human disease,as further discussed herein relating to polynucleotide assays.

Polynucleotides of the invention that are oligonucleotides derived fromthe sequences of SEQ ID NOS: 1 and/or 2 may be used in the processesherein as described, but preferably for PCR, to determine whether or notthe polynucleotides identified herein in whole or in part aretranscribed in bacteria in infected tissue. It is recognized that suchsequences will also have utility in diagnosis of the stage of infectionand type of infection the pathogen has attained.

The invention also provides polynucleotides that may encode apolypeptide that is the mature protein plus additional amino orcarboxyl-terminal amino acids, or amino acids interior to the maturepolypeptide (when the mature form has more than one polypeptide chain,for instance). Such sequences may play a role in processing of a proteinfrom precursor to a mature form, may allow protein transport, maylengthen or shorten protein half-life or may facilitate manipulation ofa protein for assay or production, among other things. As generally isthe case in vivo, the additional amino acids may be processed away fromthe mature protein by cellular enzymes.

A precursor protein, having the mature form of the polypeptide fused toone or more prosequences may be an inactive form of the polypeptide.When prosequences are removed such inactive precursors generally areactivated. Some or all of the prosequences may be removed beforeactivation. Generally, such precursors are called proproteins.

In sum, a polynucleotide of the invention may encode a mature protein, amature protein plus a leader sequence (which may be referred to as apreprotein), a precursor of a mature protein having one or moreprosequences that are not the leader sequences of a preprotein, or apreproprotein, which is a precursor to a proprotein, having a leadersequence and one or more prosequences, which generally are removedduring processing steps that produce active and mature forms of thepolypeptide.

Vectors, Host Cells, Expression

The invention also relates to vectors that comprise a polynucleotide orpolynucleotides of the invention, host cells that are geneticallyengineered with vectors of the invention and the production ofpolypeptides of the invention by recombinant techniques. Cell-freetranslation systems can also be employed to produce such proteins usingRNAs derived from the DNA constructs of the invention.

For recombinant production, host cells can be genetically engineered toincorporate expression systems or portions thereof or polynucleotides ofthe invention. Introduction of a polynucleotide into the host cell canbe effected by methods described in many standard laboratory manuals,such as Davis et al., BASIC METHODS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, (1986) andSambrook et al., MOLECULAR CLONING: A LABORATORY.MANUAL, 2nd Ed., ColdSpring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y. (1989), suchas, calcium phosphate transfection, DEAE-dextran mediated transfection,transvection, microinjection, cationic lipid-mediated transfection,electroporation, transduction, scrape loading, ballistic introductionand infection.

Representative examples of appropriate hosts include bacterial cells,such as streptococci, staphylococci, enterococci E. coli, streptomycesand Bacillus subtilis cells; fungal cells, such as yeast cells andAspergillus cells; insect cells such as Drosophila S2 and Spodoptera Sf9cells; animal cells such as CHO, COS, HeLa, C127, 3T3, BHK, 293 andBowes melanoma cells; and plant cells.

A great variety of expression systems can be used to produce thepolypeptides of the invention. Such vectors include, among others,chromosomal, episomal and virus-derived vectors, e.g., vectors derivedfrom bacterial plasmids, from bacteriophage, from transposons, fromyeast episomes, from insertion elements, from yeast chromosomalelements, from viruses such as baculoviruses, papova viruses, such asSV40, vaccinia viruses, adenoviruses, fowl pox viruses, pseudorabiesviruses and retroviruses, and vectors derived from combinations thereof,such as those derived from plasmid and bacteriophage genetic elements,such as cosmids and phagemids. The expression system constructs maycontain control regions that regulate as well as engender expression.Generally, any system or vector suitable to maintain, propagate orexpress polynucleotides and/or to express a polypeptide in a host may beused for expression in this regard. The appropriate DNA sequence may beinserted into the expression system by any of a variety of well-knownand routine techniques, such as, for example, those set forth inSambrook et al., MOLECULAR CLONING, A LABORATORYMANUAL, (supra).

For secretion of the translated protein into the lumen of theendoplasmic reticulum, into the periplasmic space or into theextracellular environment, appropriate secretion signals may beincorporated into the expressed polypeptide. These signals may beendogenous to the polypeptide or they may be heterologous signals.

Polypeptides of the invention can be recovered and purified fromrecombinant cell cultures by well-known methods including ammoniumsulfate or ethanol precipitation, acid extraction, anion or cationexchange chromatography, phosphocellulose chromatography, hydrophobicinteraction chromatography, affinity chromatography, hydroxylapatitechromatography, and lectin chromatography. Most preferably, highperformance liquid chromatography is employed for purification. Wellknown techniques for refolding protein may be employed to regenerateactive conformation when the polypeptide is denatured during isolationand or purification.

Diagnostic Assays

This invention is also related to the use of the hisS polynucleotides ofthe invention for use as diagnostic reagents. Detection of hisS in aeukaryote, particularly a mammal, and especially a human, will provide adiagnostic method for diagnosis of a disease. Eukaryotes (herein also“individual(s)”), particularly mammals, and especially humans, infectedwith an organism comprising the hisS gene may be detected at the nucleicacid level by a variety of techniques.

Nucleic acids for diagnosis may be obtained from an infectedindividual's cells and tissues, such as bone, blood, muscle, cartilage,and skin. Genomic DNA may be used directly for detection or may beamplified enzymatically by using PCR or other amplification techniqueprior to analysis. RNA or cDNA may also be used in the same ways. Usingamplification, characterization of the species and strain of prokaryotepresent in an individual, may be made by an analysis of the genotype ofthe prokatyote gene. Deletions and insertions can be detected by achange in size of the amplified product in comparison to the genotype ofa reference sequence. Point mutations can be identified by hybridizingamplified DNA to labeled hisS polynucleotide sequences. Perfectlymatched sequences can be distinguished from mismatched duplexes by RNasedigestion or by differences in melting temperatures. DNA sequencedifferences may also be detected by alterations in the electrophoreticmobility of the DNA fragments in gels, with or without denaturingagents, or by direct DNA sequencing. See, e.g., Myers et al., Science,230: 1242 (1985). Sequence changes at specific locations also may berevealed by nuclease protection assays, such as RNase and S1 protectionor a chemical cleavage method. See, e.g., Cotton et al., Proc. Natl.Acad. Sci., USA, 85. 4397-4401 (1985).

Cells carrying mutations or polymorphisms in the gene of the inventionmay also be detected at the DNA level by a variety of techniques, toallow for serotyping, for example. For example, RT-PCR can be used todetect mutations. It is particularly preferred to used RT-PCR inconjunction with automated detection systems, such as, for example,GeneScan. RNA or cDNA may also be used for the same purpose, PCR orRT-PCR. As an example, PCR primers complementary to a nucleic acidencoding hisS can be used to identify and analyze mutations. Theseprimers may be used for, among other things, amplifying hisS DNAisolated from a sample derived from an individual. The primers may beused to amplify the gene isolated from an infected individual such thatthe gene may then be subject to various techniques for elucidation ofthe DNA sequence. In this way, mutations in the DNA sequence may bedetected and used to diagnose infection and to serotype and/or classifythe infectious agent.

The invention further provides a process for diagnosing, disease,preferably bacterial infections, more preferably infections by Chlamydiatrachomatis , and most preferably classic ocular trachoma, inclusionconjunctivitis, genital trachoma, infant pneumonitis, LymphogranulomaVenerium, incipient trachoma, keratitis, papillary hypertrophy, cornealinfiltration, vulvovaginitis, ear infection, mucopurulent rhinitis,salpingitis, cervicitis, cervical follicles, prostatitis, proctitis,urethritis, lymphogranule inguinale, climatic bubo, tropical bubo, andesthiomene., comprising determining from a sample derived from anindividual a increased level of expression of polynucleotide having thesequence of Table 1 [SEQ ID NO:1]. Increased or decreased expression ofhisS polynucleotide can be measured using any on of the methods wellknown in the art for the quantation of polynucleotidies, such as, forexample, amplification, PCR, RT-PCR, RNase protection, Northern blottingand other hybridization methods.

In addition, a diagnostic assay in accordance with the invention fordetecting over-expression of hisS protein compared to normal controltissue samples may be used to detect the presence of an infection, forexample. Assay techniques that can be used to determine levels of a hisSprotein, in a sample derived from a host are well-known to those ofskill in the art. Such assay methods include radioimmunoassays,competitive-binding assays, Western Blot analysis and ELISA assays.

Antibodies

The polypeptides of the invention or variants thereof, or cellsexpressing them can be used as an immunogen to produce antibodiesimmunospecific for such polypeptides. “Antibodies” as used hereinincludes monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, chimeric, single chain,simianized antibodies and humanized antibodies, as well as Fabfragments, including the products of an Fab immunolglobulin expressionlibrary.

Antibodies generated against the polypeptides of the invention can beobtained by administering the polypeptides or epitope-bearing fragments,analogues or cells to an animal, preferably a nonhuman, using routineprotocols. For preparation of monoclonal antibodies, any technique knownin the art that provides antibodies produced by continuous cell linecultures can be used. Examples include various techniques, such as thosein Kohler, G. and Milstein, C., Nature 256: 495-497 (1975); Kozbor etal., Immunology Today 4: 72 (1983); Cole et al., pg. 77-96 in MONOCLONALANTIBODIES AND CANCER THERAPY, Alan R. Liss, Inc. (1985).

Techniques for the production of single chain antibodies (U.S. Pat. No.4,946,778) can be adapted to produce single chain antibodies topolypeptides of this invention. Also, transgenic mice, or otherorganisms such as other mammals, may be used to express humanizedantibodies.

Alternatively phage display technology may be utilized to selectantibody genes with binding activities towards the polypeptide eitherfrom repertoires of PCR amplified v-genes of lymphocytes from humansscreened for possessing anti-hisS or from naive libraries (McCafferty,J. et al., (1990), Nature 348, 552-554; Marks, J. et al., (1992)Biotechnology 10, 779-783). The affinity of these antibodies can also beimproved by chain shuffling (Clackson, T. et al., (1991) Nature 352,624-628).

If two antigen binding domains are present each domain may be directedagainst a different epitope—termed ‘bispecific’ antibodies.

The above-described antibodies may be employed to isolate or to identifyclones expressing the polypeptides to purify the polypeptides byaffinity chromatography.

Thus, among others, antibodies against hisS- polypeptide may be employedto treat infections, particularly bacterial infections and especiallyclassic ocular trachoma, inclusion conjunctivitis, genital trachoma,infant pneumonitis, Lymphogranuloma Venerium, incipient trachoma,keratitis, papillary hypertrophy, comeal infiltration, vulvovaginitis,ear infection, mucopurulent rhinitis, salpingitis, cervicitis, cervicalfollicles, prostatitis, proctitis, urethritis, lymphogranule inguinale,climatic bubo, tropical bubo, and esthiomene

Polypeptide variants include antigenically, epitopically orimmunologically equivalent variants that form a particular aspect ofthis invention. The term “antigenically equivalent derivative” as usedherein encompasses a polypeptide or its equivalent which will bespecifically recognized by certain antibodies which, when raised to theprotein or polypeptide according to the invention, interfere with theimmediate physical interaction between pathogen and mammalian host. Theterm “immunologically equivalent derivative” as used herein encompassesa peptide or its equivalent which when used in a suitable formulation toraise antibodies in a vertebrate, the antibodies act to interfere withthe immediate physical interaction between pathogen and mammalian host.

The polypeptide, such as an antigenically or immunologically equivalentderivative or a fusion protein thereof is used as an antigen to immunizea mouse or other animal such as a rat or chicken. The fusion protein mayprovide stability to the polypeptide. The antigen may be associated, forexample by conjugation, with an immunogenic carrier protein for examplebovine serum albumin (BSA) or keyhole limpet haemocyanin (KLH).Alternatively a multiple antigenic peptide comprising multiple copies ofthe protein or polypeptide, or an antigenically or immunologicallyequivalent polypeptide thereof may be sufficiently antigenic to improveimmunogenicity so as to obviate the use of a carrier.

Preferably, the antibody or variant thereof is modified to make it lessimmunogenic in the individual. For example, if the individual is humanthe antibody may most preferably be “humanized”; where thecomplimentarity determining region(s) of the hybridoma-derived antibodyhas been transplanted into a human monoclonal antibody , for example asdescribed in Jones, P. et al. (1986), Nature 321, 522-525 or Tempest etal.,(1991) Biotechnology 9, 266-273.

The use of a polynucleotide of the invention in genetic immunizationwill preferably employ a suitable delivery method such as directinjection of plasmid DNA into muscles (Wolff et al., Hum Mol Genet 1992,1:363, Manthorpe et al., Hum. Gene Ther. 1963:4, 419), delivery of DNAcomplexed with specific protein carriers (Wu et al., J Biol Chem. 1989:264,16985), coprecipitation of DNA with calcium phosphate (Ben-venisty &Reshef, PNAS USA, 1986:83,9551), encapsulation of DNA in various formsof liposomes (Kaneda et al., Science 1989:243,375), particle bombardment(Tang et al., Nature 1992, 356:152, Eisenbraun et al., DNA Cell Biol1993, 12:791) and in vivo infection using cloned retroviral vectors(Seeger et al., PNAS USA 1984:81,5849).

Antagonists and Agonists—Assays and Molecules

Polypeptides of the invention may also be used to assess the binding ofsmall molecule substrates and ligands in, for example, cells, cell-freepreparations, chemical libraries, and natural product mixtures. Thesesubstrates and ligands may be natural substrates and ligands or may bestructural or functional mimetics. See, e.g., Coligan et al., CurrentProtocols in Immunology 1(2): Chapter 5 (1991).

The invention also provides a method of screening compounds to identifythose which enhance (agonist) or block (antagonist) the action of hisSpolypeptides or polynucleotides, particularly those compounds that arebacteriostatic and/or bacteriocidal. The method of screening may involvehigh-throughput techniques. For example, to screen for agonists orantagoists, a synthetic reaction mix, a cellular compartment, such as amembrane, cell envelope or cell wall, or a preparation of any thereof,comprising hisS polypeptide and a labeled substrate or ligand of suchpolypeptide is incubated in the absence or the presence of a candidatemolecule that may be a hisS agonist or antagonist. The ability of thecandidate molecule to agonize or antagonize the hisS polypeptide isreflected in decreased binding of the labeled ligand or decreasedproduction of product from such substrate. Molecules that bindgratuitously, i.e., without inducing the effects of hisS polypeptide aremost likely to be good antagonists. Molecules that bind well andincrease the rate of product production from substrate are agonists.Detection of the rate or level of production of product from substratemay be enhanced by using a reporter system. Reporter systems that may beuseful in this regard include but are not limited to colorimetriclabeled substrate converted into product, a reporter gene that isresponsive to changes in hisS polynucleotide or polypeptide activity,and binding assays known in the art.

Another example of an assay for hisS antagonists is a competitive assaythat combines hisS and a potential antagonist with hisS-bindingmolecules, recombinant hisS binding molecules, natural substrates orligands, or substrate or ligand mimetics, under appropriate conditionsfor a competitive inhibition assay. The hisS molecule can be labeled,such as by radioactivity or a colorimetric compound, such that thenumber of hisS molecules bound to a binding molecule or converted toproduct can be determined accurately to assess the effectiveness of thepotential antagonist.

Potential antagonists include small organic molecules, peptides,polypeptides and antibodies that bind to a polynucleotide or polypeptideof the invention and thereby inhibit or extinguish its activity.Potential antagonists also may be small organic molecules, a peptide, apolypeptide such as a closely related protein or antibody that binds thesame sites on a binding molecule, such as a binding molecule, withoutinducing hisS-induced activities, thereby preventing the action of hisSby excluding hisS from binding.

Potential antagonists include a small molecule that binds to andoccupies the binding site of the polypeptide thereby preventing bindingto cellular binding molecules, such that normal biological activity isprevented. Examples of small molecules include but are not limited tosmall organic molecules, peptides or peptide-like molecules. Otherpotential antagonists include antisense molecules (see Okano, J.Neurochem. 56: 560 (1991); OLIGODEOXYNUCLEOTIDES AS ANTISENSE INHIBITORSOF GENE EXPRESSION, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla. (1988), for adescription of these molecules). Preferred potential antagonists includecompounds related to and variants of hisS.

Each of the DNA sequences provided herein may be used in the discoveryand development of antibacterial compounds. The encoded protein, uponexpression, can be used as a target for the screening of antibacterialdrugs. Additionally, the DNA sequences encoding the amino terminalregions of the encoded protein or Shine-Delgarno or other translationfacilitating sequences of the respective mRNA can be used to constructantisense sequences to control the expression of the coding sequence ofinterest.

The invention also provides the use of the polypeptide, polynucleotideor inhibitor of the invention to interfere with the initial physicalinteraction between a pathogen and mammalian host responsible forsequelae of infection. In particular the molecules of the invention maybe used: in the prevention of adhesion of bacteria, in particular grampositive bacteria, to mammalian extracellular matrix proteins onin-dwelling devices or to extracellular matrix proteins in wounds; toblock hisS protein-mediated mammalian cell invasion by, for example,initiating phosphorylation of mammalian tyrosine kinases (Rosenshine etal., Infect. Immun. 60:2211 (1992); to block bacterial adhesion betweenmammalian extracellular matrix proteins and bacterial hisS proteins thatmediate tissue damage and; to block the normal progression ofpathogenesis in infections initiated other than by the implantation ofin-dwelling devices or by other surgical techniques.

The antagonists and agonists of the invention may be employed, forinstance, to inhibit and treat classic ocular trachoma, inclusionconjunctivitis, genital trachoma, infant pneumonitis, LymphogranulomaVenerium, incipient trachoma, keratitis, papillary hypertrophy, cornealinfiltration, vulvovaginitis, ear infection, mucopurulent rhinitis,salpingitis, cervicitis, cervical follicles, prostatitis, proctitis,urethritis, lymphogranule inguinale, climatic bubo, tropical bubo, andesthiomene.

Vaccines

Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for inducing animmunological response in an individual, particularly a mammal whichcomprises inoculating the individual with hisS, or a fragment or variantthereof, adequate to produce antibody and/or T cell immune response toprotect said individual from infection, particularly bacterial infectionand most particularly Chlamydia trachomatis infection. Also provided aremethods whereby such immunological response slows bacterial replication.Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method of inducingimmunological response in an individual which comprises delivering tosuch individual a nucleic acid vector to direct expression of hisS, or afragment or a variant thereof, for expressing hisS, or a fragment or avariant thereof in vivo in order to induce an immunological response,such as, to produce antibody and/or T cell immune response, including,for example, cytokine-producing T cells or cytotoxic T cells, to protectsaid individual from disease, whether that disease is alreadyestablished within the individual or not. One way of administering thegene is by accelerating it into the desired cells as a coating onparticles or otherwise.

Such nucleic acid vector may comprise DNA, RNA, a modified nucleic acid,or a DNA/RNA hybrid.

A further aspect of the invention relates to an immunologicalcomposition which, when introduced into an individual capable or havinginduced within it an immunological response, induces an immunologicalresponse in such individual to a hisS or protein coded therefrom,wherein the composition comprises a recombinant hisS or protein codedtherefrom comprising DNA which codes for and expresses an antigen ofsaid hisS or protein coded therefrom. The immunological response may beused therapeutically or prophylactically and may take the form ofantibody immunity or cellular immunity such as that arising from CTL orCD4+T cells.

A hisS polypeptide or a fragment thereof may be fused with co-proteinwhich may not by itself produce antibodies, but is capable ofstabilizing the first protein and producing a fused protein which willhave immunogenic and protective properties. Thus fused recombinantprotein, preferably further comprises an antigenic co-protein, such aslipoprotein D from Hemophilus influenzae, Glutathione-S-transferase(GST) or beta-galactosidase, relatively large co-proteins whichsolubilize the protein and facilitate production and purificationthereof. Moreover, the co-protein may act as an adjuvant in the sense ofproviding a generalized stimulation of the immune system. The co-proteinmay be attached to either the amino or carboxy terminus of the firstprotein.

Provided by this invention are compositions, particularly vaccinecompositions, and methods comprising the polypeptides or polynucleotidesof the invention and immunostimulatory DNA sequences, such as thosedescribed in Sato, Y. et al. Science 273: 352 (1996).

Also, provided by this invention are methods using the describedpolynucleotide or particular fragments thereof which have been shown toencode non-variable regions of bacterial cell surface proteins in DNAconstructs used in such genetic immunization experiments in animalmodels of infection with Chlamydia trachomatis will be particularlyuseful for identifying protein epitopes able to provoke a prophylacticor therapeutic immune response. It is believed that this approach willallow for the subsequent preparation of monoclonal antibodies ofparticular value from the requisite organ of the animal successfullyresisting or clearing infection for the development of prophylacticagents or therapeutic treatments of bacterial infection, particularlyChlamydia trachomatis infection, in mammals, particularly humans.

The polypeptide may be used as an antigen for vaccination of a host toproduce specific antibodies which protect against invasion of bacteria,for example by blocking adherence of bacteria to damaged tissue.Examples of tissue damage include wounds in skin or connective tissuecaused, e.g., by mechanical, chemical or thermal damage or byimplantation of indwelling devices, or wounds in the mucous membranes,such as the mouth, mammary glands, urethra or vagina.

The invention also includes a vaccine formulation which comprises animmunogenic recombinant protein of the invention together with asuitable carrier. Since the protein may be broken down in the stomach,it is preferably administered parenterally, including, for example,administration that is subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous, orintradermal. Formulations suitable for parenteral administration includeaqueous and non-aqueous sterile injection solutions which may containanti-oxidants, buffers, bacteriostats and solutes which render theformulation insotonic with the bodily fluid, preferably the blood, ofthe individual; and aqueous and non-aqueous sterile suspensions whichmay include suspending agents or thickening agents. The formulations maybe presented in unit-dose or multi-dose containers, for example, sealedampules and vials and may be stored in a freeze-dried conditionrequiring only the addition of the sterile liquid carrier immediatelyprior to use. The vaccine formulation may also include adjuvant systemsfor enhancing the immunogenicity of the formulation, such as oil-inwater systems and other systems known in the art. The dosage will dependon the specific activity of the vaccine and can be readily determined byroutine experimentation.

While the invention has been described with reference to certain hisSprotein, it is to be understood that this covers fragments of thenaturally occurring protein and similar proteins with additions,deletions or substitutions which do not substantially affect theimmunogenic properties of the recombinant protein.

Compositions, Kits and Administration

The invention also relates to compositions comprising the polynucleotideor the polypeptides discussed above or their agonists or antagonists.The polypeptides of the invention may be employed in combination with anon-sterile or sterile carrier or carriers for use with cells, tissuesor organisms, such as a pharmaceutical carrier suitable foradministration to a subject. Such compositions comprise, for instance, amedia additive or a therapeutically effective amount of a polypeptide ofthe invention and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient.Such carriers may include, but are not limited to, saline, bufferedsaline, dextrose, water, glycerol, ethanol and combinations thereof. Theformulation should suit the mode of administration. The inventionfurther relates to diagnostic and pharmaceutical packs and kitscomprising one or more containers filled with one or more of theingredients of the aforementioned compositions of the invention.

Polypeptides and other compounds of the invention may be employed aloneor in conjunction with other compounds, such as therapeutic compounds.

The pharmaceutical compositions may be administered in any effective,convenient manner including, for instance, administration by topical,oral, anal, vaginal, intravenous, intraperitoneal, intramuscular,subcutaneous, intranasal or intradermal routes among others.

In therapy or as a prophylactic, the active agent may be administered toan individual as an injectable composition, for example as a sterileaqueous dispersion, preferably isotonic.

Alternatively the composition may be formulated for topical applicationfor example in the form of ointments, creams, lotions, eye ointments,eye drops, ear drops, mouthwash, impregnated dressings and sutures andaerosols, and may contain appropriate conventional additives, including,for example, preservatives, solvents to assist drug penetration, andemollients in ointments and creams. Such topical formulations may alsocontain compatible conventional carriers, for example cream or ointmentbases, and ethanol or oleyl alcohol for lotions. Such carriers mayconstitute from about 1% to about 98% by weight of the formulation; moreusually they will constitute up to about 80% by weight of theformulation.

For administration to mammals, and particularly humans, it is expectedthat the daily dosage level of the active agent will be from 0.01 mg/kgto 10 mg/kg, typically around 1 mg/kg. The physician in any event willdetermine the actual dosage which will be most suitable for anindividual and will vary with the age, weight and response of theparticular individual. The above dosages are exemplary of the averagecase. There can, of course, be individual instances where higher orlower dosage ranges are merited, and such are within the scope of thisinvention.

In-dwelling devices include surgical implants, prosthetic devices andcatheters, i.e., devices that are introduced to the body of anindividual and remain in position for an extended time. Such devicesinclude, for example, artificial joints, heart valves, pacemakers,vascular grafts, vascular catheters, cerebrospinal fluid shunts, urinarycatheters, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) catheters.

The composition of the invention may be administered by injection toachieve a systemic effect against relevant bacteria shortly beforeinsertion of an in-dwelling device. Treatment may be continued aftersurgery during the in-body time of the device. In addition, thecomposition could also be used to broaden perioperative cover for anysurgical technique to prevent bacterial wound infections, especiallyChlamydia trachomatis wound infections.

Many orthopaedic surgeons consider that humans with prosthetic jointsshould be considered for antibiotic prophylaxis before dental treatmentthat could produce a bacteremia. Late deep infection is a seriouscomplication sometimes leading to loss of the prosthetic joint and isaccompanied by significant morbidity and mortality. It may therefore bepossible to extend the use of the active agent as a replacement forprophylactic antibiotics in this situation.

In addition to the therapy described above, the compositions of thisinvention may be used generally as a wound treatment agent to preventadhesion of bacteria to matrix proteins exposed in wound tissue and forprophylactic use in dental treatment as an alternative to, or inconjunction with, antibiotic prophylaxis.

Alternatively, the composition of the invention may be used to bathe anindwelling device immediately before insertion. The active agent willpreferably be present at a concentration of 1 μg/ml to 10 mg/ml forbathing of wounds or indwelling devices.

A vaccine composition is conveniently in injectable form. Conventionaladjuvants may be employed to enhance the immune response. A suitableunit dose for vaccination is 0.5-5 microgram/kg of antigen, and suchdose is preferably administered 1-3 times and with an interval of 1-3weeks. With the indicated dose range, no adverse toxicological effectswill be observed with the compounds of the invention which wouldpreclude their administration to suitable individuals.

Each reference disclosed herein is incorporated by reference herein inits entirety. Any patent application to which this application claimspriority is also incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

EXAMPLES

The examples below are carried out using standard techniques, which arewell known and routine to those of skill in the art, except whereotherwise described in detail. The examples are illustrative, but do notlimit the invention.

Example 1 Strain selection, Library Production and Sequencing

The polynucleotide having the DNA sequence given in SEQ ID NO:1 isobtained, for example from a library of clones of chromosomal DNA ofChlamydia trachomatis in E. coli. The sequencing data from two or moreclones containing overlapping Chlamydia trachomatis DNAs is used toconstruct the contiguous DNA sequence in SEQ ID NO:1. Libraries may beprepared by routine methods, for example:

Methods 1, 2 and 3 below.

Total cellular DNA is isolated from Chlamydia trachomatis D/UW-3/Cxaccording to standard procedures and size-fractionated by either of twomethods.

Method 1

Total cellular DNA is mechanically sheared by passage through a needlein order to size-fractionate according to standard procedures. DNAfragments of up to 11 kbp in size are rendered blunt by treatment withexonuclease and DNA polymerase, and EcoRI linkers added. Fragments areligated into the vector Lambda ZapII that has been cut with EcoRI, thelibrary packaged by standard procedures and E.coli infected with thepackaged library. The library is amplified by standard procedures.

Method 2

Total cellular DNA is partially hydrolyzed with a one or a combinationof restriction enzymes appropriate to generate a series of fragments forcloning into library vectors (e.g., RsaI, Pall, AluI, Bshl235I), andsuch fragments are size-fractionated according to standard procedures.EcoRI linkers are ligated to the DNA and the fragments then ligated intothe vector Lambda ZapII that have been cut with EcoRI, the librarypackaged by standard procedures, and E.coli infected with the packagedlibrary. The library is amplified by standard procedures.

Method 3

Total cellular DNA is mechanically or enzymatically fragmented tosize-fractionate according to standard procedures. DNA fragments ofabout 1kbp in size, after preparing their ends using standardprocedures, are ligated into M13 vector using standard procedures. M13is introduced into E.coli host, such as NM522 (available commercially).Clones with inserts are sequenced using standard procedures.

Example 2 hisS Characterization

The enzyme mediated incorporation of radiolabelled amino acid into tRNAmay be measured by the aminoacylation method which measures aminoacid-tRNA as trichloroacetic acid-precipitable radioactivity fromradiolabelled amino acid in the presence of tRNA and ATP (Hughes J,Mellows G and Soughton S, 1980, FEBS Letters, 122:322-324). Thusinhibitors of histidyl tRNA synthetase can be detected by a reduction inthe trichloroacetic acid precipitable radioactivity relative to thecontrol. Alternatively the tRNA synthetase catalysed partial PPi/ATPexchange reaction which measures the formation of radiolabelled ATP fromPPi can be used to detect histidyl tRNA synthetase inhibitors (CalenderR & Berg P, 1966, Biochemistry, 5, 1681-1690).

2 1311 base pairs nucleic acid double linear unknown 1 GTGAGAATAGTCCGGTTATA CACAATGAGT AATGCATTGC CAAAAGGCGT TTTTGATATT 60 TTTCCCTATGTAACAAGCCC AAAAAATCTT TGGAGAAATT CTTCTCTATG GAAACGTGTT 120 GAGCATGCAGCCCATCGTAT TTGTAATTTA TATGGATTTG ATGAGATCCG AACTCCAGTT 180 TTTGAAAAGACAGAGACTTT TTTACGCGTC GGAGAGTACA GTGATATTGT AAAAAAGGAA 240 GTTTATACCTTCTTAGATAA AAAAAGACGT TCTTTGACTT TGCGTCCAGA AGGGACTGCA 300 GCAGTTGTTCGTGCATTGTT GGATCATTCT GCTGATATGC GCAAAGATAA TAAGTTTTAT 360 TATATTTTGCCCATGTTTCG TTACGAGCGG CAACAATCTG GACGTTACCG TCAGCATCAT 420 CAGTTCGGTCTAGAAGCTAT CGGTGTGCGG CACCCCTTAC GAGATGCGGA GGTGCTCTCT 480 CTGTTATGGGATTTTTATGC AGCGGTCGGG CTTCAGCATA TGCAAATCCA TGTGAATTTT 540 TTAGGAGGGCAAAAGACTCG GGCTCGTTAT GACGAAGCTT TGCGGGAGTT CTTCCGTAAG 600 GATCTAGACCGGTTATCGCC TCTGAGTCAA GAAAGATATC ATGCGAACTT ATTGCGTATA 660 TTAGATTCTAAGGAGCCAGA AGACCAGGAA TTCATTGAAA AAGCTCCCTC AATTTTGGAT 720 TACATAGATGATCGGGATTT AAGCTATTTT GATGCAGTAT TAGCCCAATT AAAGGCTTTA 780 GGGATTTCTTTTGCAATCAA TCCAAGGCTA GTTCGAGGGT TGGATTATTA TACGGATCTT 840 GTATTTGAAGCGGTGACTGT TGTGGGAGAG CACTCCTATG CATTGGGAGG CGGCGGGCGT 900 TATGATGAATTGGTTGCGCA GTCTGGAGGC CCTTCTATGC CAGCTTTTGG TTTTGGAGTG 960 GGATTGGAAAGAGTAATCCA AACGCTATTA GAGCAAGGAA ACTCTTTATC GACCTCTACG 1020 CGACGGTTGCGATTAATTCC TATGGATGAG CAGGCAGATG CATTTTGTTT TTCATGGGCA 1080 AATCGTTTACGTAACCTAGG CATTGCAACA GAAGTAGATT GGAGCCATAA GAAGCCTAAA 1140 TTGTCTCTTAAAGATGCTGC CGATCAACAA GTCAGTTTTG TTTGTCTCTT AGGCGAACAA 1200 GAATTAGCAACGAAACAATT TATAGTTAAA GATATGTCTT TGCATCAAAG CTTCTCAGGG 1260 GCTCAACAAGATGTAGAACA AAGGTTGGTT TATGAAGTAC AGAACGCATA A 1311 436 amino acids aminoacid single linear unknown 2 Met Arg Ile Val Arg Leu Tyr Thr Met Ser AsnAla Leu Pro Lys Gly 1 5 10 15 Val Phe Asp Ile Phe Pro Tyr Val Thr SerPro Lys Asn Leu Trp Arg 20 25 30 Asn Ser Ser Leu Trp Lys Arg Val Glu HisAla Ala His Arg Ile Cys 35 40 45 Asn Leu Tyr Gly Phe Asp Glu Ile Arg ThrPro Val Phe Glu Lys Thr 50 55 60 Glu Thr Phe Leu Arg Val Gly Glu Tyr SerAsp Ile Val Lys Lys Glu 65 70 75 80 Val Tyr Thr Phe Leu Asp Lys Lys ArgArg Ser Leu Thr Leu Arg Pro 85 90 95 Glu Gly Thr Ala Ala Val Val Arg AlaLeu Leu Asp His Ser Ala Asp 100 105 110 Met Arg Lys Asp Asn Lys Phe TyrTyr Ile Leu Pro Met Phe Arg Tyr 115 120 125 Glu Arg Gln Gln Ser Gly ArgTyr Arg Gln His His Gln Phe Gly Leu 130 135 140 Glu Ala Ile Gly Val ArgHis Pro Leu Arg Asp Ala Glu Val Leu Ser 145 150 155 160 Leu Leu Trp AspPhe Tyr Ala Ala Val Gly Leu Gln His Met Gln Ile 165 170 175 His Val AsnPhe Leu Gly Gly Gln Lys Thr Arg Ala Arg Tyr Asp Glu 180 185 190 Ala LeuArg Glu Phe Phe Arg Lys Asp Leu Asp Arg Leu Ser Pro Leu 195 200 205 SerGln Glu Arg Tyr His Ala Asn Leu Leu Arg Ile Leu Asp Ser Lys 210 215 220Glu Pro Glu Asp Gln Glu Phe Ile Glu Lys Ala Pro Ser Ile Leu Asp 225 230235 240 Tyr Ile Asp Asp Arg Asp Leu Ser Tyr Phe Asp Ala Val Leu Ala Gln245 250 255 Leu Lys Ala Leu Gly Ile Ser Phe Ala Ile Asn Pro Arg Leu ValArg 260 265 270 Gly Leu Asp Tyr Tyr Thr Asp Leu Val Phe Glu Ala Val ThrVal Val 275 280 285 Gly Glu His Ser Tyr Ala Leu Gly Gly Gly Gly Arg TyrAsp Glu Leu 290 295 300 Val Ala Gln Ser Gly Gly Pro Ser Met Pro Ala PheGly Phe Gly Val 305 310 315 320 Gly Leu Glu Arg Val Ile Gln Thr Leu LeuGlu Gln Gly Asn Ser Leu 325 330 335 Ser Thr Ser Thr Arg Arg Leu Arg LeuIle Pro Met Asp Glu Gln Ala 340 345 350 Asp Ala Phe Cys Phe Ser Trp AlaAsn Arg Leu Arg Asn Leu Gly Ile 355 360 365 Ala Thr Glu Val Asp Trp SerHis Lys Lys Pro Lys Leu Ser Leu Lys 370 375 380 Asp Ala Ala Asp Gln GlnVal Ser Phe Val Cys Leu Leu Gly Glu Gln 385 390 395 400 Glu Leu Ala ThrLys Gln Phe Ile Val Lys Asp Met Ser Leu His Gln 405 410 415 Ser Phe SerGly Ala Gln Gln Asp Val Glu Gln Arg Leu Val Tyr Glu 420 425 430 Val GlnAsn Ala 435

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide segment, comprising afirst polynucleotide sequence or the full complement of the entirelength of the first polynucleotide sequence, wherein the firstpqlynucleotide sequence encodes a polypeptide comprising SEQ ID NO:2;and wherein the first polynucleotide sequence is not genomic DNA.
 2. Theisolated polynucleotide segment of claim 1, wherein the isolatedpolynucleotide comprises the first polynucleotide sequence.
 3. A vectorcomprising the isolated polynucleotide of claim
 2. 4. An isolated hostcell comprising the vector of claim
 3. 5. A process for producing apolypeptide comprising culturing the host cell of claim 4 underconditions sufficient for the production of the polypeptide.
 6. Theisolated polynucleotide segment of claim 2 encoding a fusionpolypeptide, wherein the fusion polypeptide comprises SEQ ID NO:2. 7.The isolated polynucleotide segment of claim 1, wherein the isolatedpolynucleotide comprises the full complement of the entire length of thefirst polynucleotide sequence.
 8. A vector comprising the isolatedpolynucleotide segment of claim
 7. 9. An isolated host cell comprisingthe vector of claim 8.